I love this plant; it stays nice all winter indoors, and then goes outside for the summer. For years I didn't understand that it wanted to be a large plant, and kept it in a small pot. Then, when vacationing in Florida, I "saw the light" when I saw how large they were, and put it in a large pot, where it seems to be quite happy.
Susan in Minneapolis
They'll get quite large if you let them--I can grow them outdoors here and there's one planted next to my house that must be 8-10 feet tall.
susan- looks very healthy. Your pic made me wonder if it's a relative of shefflera, which it is according to plantifiles. the Sheff is a very good plant for me, too.
ecrane3,
I have zone envy once again; yours is blooming, and growing unfettered. Thanks for the pix.
Susan
Hi Susan:
I do the same w/mine---outdoors for the summer, back in for the winter.
I love this plant because it can sit right by the front door and take the cold rushes of air, but still look great!
I got mine in a trade about 5 years ago and was very surprised at how large it was, even then! The person I got it from was growing it outdoors, like you, ecrane3.
Have you ever tried growing one of the variegated Fatsias?
I'm tempted to!!
Yours looks *fabulous*, BTW.
Nan,
Thanks for the compliment. My only complaint about this plant is that it is a magnet for scale when indoors, but the systemic Marathon takes care of it.
I have lusted over the variegated ones, but for every big plant I grow or acquire, I have to make room for it by getting rid of something. (Fortunately there is a non-profit group affiliated with the Minnesota Hort. Society, and they will match up new homes for plants that are good, but unwanted.) The other consideration is that variegated ones typically are a bit less vigorous and thus harder to grow. Maybe with this big plant, less vigorous would be good!
Susan
Oh, you shouldn't have told me that, as I've had mine several years without a single scale insect (KNOCK ON WOOD!!!)
I'm finding myself getting to that point, too (needing to get rid of one or more plants to accomodate another!) and I don't like it!
Still dreaming of that attached greenhouse/conservatory....I have the place chosen and everything....just don't have the bucks to do it...(sigh)....maybe someday;)
